Monday, July 10, 2006

Carnival,Carnival

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It's Carnival time in St Vincent and for the longest while I've been meaning to blog something about it.Well,today is the day I talk about the shows at Victoria Park and Miss Carival in particular.The show,which is really a Caribbean Queen Show debuted in 1985 and was won by the late Donna Young of SVG.

Since then the show has become one of the more popular attractions on the Carnival Calender.It has also had its own bit of controversy with patrons registering some disgust at what was perceived as bias for the home town girl.Thankfuly,this year the panel was not dominated by local judges.Congratulations to Nakita Bruno of Dominica(pictured above) for winning this year's Miss Carival.

I toyed with going to the show,mainly because I had some guests but decided against it.The next morning I heard that the show was 8 hrs long and I remembered exactly why I have grown to hate the shows at Victoria Park.Isn't it madness for persons to go into the Park for an eight o clock show and be awaiting results at 3 am? About 2 years ago it was past 4am and we were still waiting for Dimanche Gras to finish

In the case of Miss Carival there were 14 contestants making appearances in swim wear,evening wear,talent and interview.That alone would take probably about 3 hrs but yet the organisers saw it fit to include Sections of the Bands on the programme.I love Mas and for many years I was a masquerader but it's about time the Mas Bands get their houses in order.

They get to the park and there is no urgency shown to get the costumes across the stage.Sometimes,it is almost as if the costumes are being built in the very park.I think the time has come to give the bands a specific time in which to cross the stage failing which they just get disqualified.Fankly, there is just too much arrogance emanating from the Mas Bands and too little respect for the public.

Hopefully,some thought will be put into packaging these shows so that they finish in a timely manner.It just cannot go on as business as usual or the crowds will just continue to stay away from the park.

Its simple, you know. You only have to vote with your feet. Leave the mas bands et cetera to cross the stage without and audience. Write the newspapers suggesting that the audience members who feel the same way as you do just that.Miss Carival looking sweet still! :-)

Sounds like Chobblohpot in Barbados. You get to the stadium at 8:00P. most people have ground tickets, so that means standing on yuh feet all night long, and in the midst of all the partying, they decide to throw in the King and Queens of band competition...By 2:00am people now leaving the stadium and all foolishness like that....